Improvement in street railways



T. R. LOVETT.

Street` Hailw'ays.

Patented 1an. 14, 1873.

AM, PHam-L/moemFH/c co. mf(ossanus moms) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THoMAs E. LovETT, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT 1N STREET RAlLwAvs.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,906, dated January 14,Y 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS It. LOVETT, of

l Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania-have invented a new and useful Improvement in Street Railways, of which the following is a specification:

My improvement in streetrailways consists ot'tlat rails of any suitable width laid flush with the pavement on both sides, and having a rib or ridge along the upper surface' longitudinally, preferabl y at the middle, intercepted by spaces at suitable intervalssay about three feet, and the spaces about two feet, more or lessthe spaces of the rail on one side being opposite the ribs of the rails of the other side, and the car-wheels having a plane face with a groove to run on the ribs; the object being to afford liberty forthe Water to run off from the space between the rails, and to allow vehicles to turn ott' or on the rails `without binding or cramping and breaking the wheels so common with the rails as at present constructed, and' at the same time have the hcars maintained on the rails, which is insured by one wheel of eacli side being always on a rib.

Figure l is a plan view of a railway with rails constructed according to my improvement; it also shows a plan of a platformcar, in dotted lines, having wheels adapted to the improved rails. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one ofthe rails and section of the car; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section'of the railway.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the flat rails; B, the ribs; and C, the spacesbetween the ribs. E represents the wheels ofthe cars, and F the grooves for,

the ribs of the rails.; For short curves, where' the grooves would cramp and bind on the ribs; I would prefer to place the ribs on the edges ofthe rails at the out-sides of the curves, and have the wheels run inside of the ribs or flanges on the dat portions of the rails. The rails A will be arranged fiush with the pavfment both inside and out, as shown in.Fig 3, so that the 'water will run off freely; also, so that vehicles of any kind can cross the rails readily at the'spaces, and turn on or oft' the track without any chance of injury to the wheels by cramping or binding, as in the case of the ordinary rails.

The spaces of one side` being alternated with the ribsof the other side insures the maintenance of the cars on the rails, as one fore wheel and one hind wheel are always on a rib.

' Having thus described my invention, I cla-iin as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The dat rails A laid flush with the pavenient and having alternate ribs B and spaces C, in combination with grooved wheels on the cars, the. ribs and spaces of one side ort' the track' 'alternating with those of the other, substantially a'specied.

" THOS. R. LOVETT.

Witnesses WM. McGEoRGE, Jr., GEoncE W. Tunxsron. 

